Conquering Hiko
by Yuki
Summary: Hiko finally gets to know the Kamiya Kaoru, the girl of his baka deshi's dreams. Blech... I'm bad with summaries so, um, just read to find out what transpired between the two!


Conquering Hiko   
By Yuki  
  
Author's Note: Well, here's another one shot fic that I have here. Its um, well, I forgot what Episode this is, but its set during the Kyoto Arc. This is the night right after Hiko and the rest of the gang had fought with Shishio's men. Ugh, it's a little weird, but hey, since when were my fics ever logical right? And since I am forever stuck with Mismatched and Rabukome, I hope you consider this little fic as a form of, ugh, apology for my writers block regarding the two said fics. Enough of the that. Hope you guys all enjoy this little piece. And as usual, more notes after the fic and another really senseless and crappy haiku for all of you! hehehehe....  
  
  
Conquering Hiko  
by Yuki  
  
*****This night you showed me  
strength found in a fallen leaf  
very much like love*******  
  
Hiko sat on what used to be part of a wall at the Aioya. His dark cape was draped across his broad aching shoulders. He stared at the seemingly peaceful sky and thought of his baka deshi and all the troubles his student always seemed to get into. His moment of solitude was broken and he turned to scowl at the gentle laughter heard from the other corner of the lot.  
  
The three Oni girls and the girl from his cabin were huddled together in the corner. They we're whispering to each other, oblivious to their injury, to the fact that they had almost died today and not to mention their ruined home.  
  
Women.   
  
He would never understand them. In fact he had made a vow to himself never to try. 40 years of living and he was still as clueless as with them as he was when he was 14. Besides as he had been warned by no less than his own master, beautiful women were always as dangerous. He already had enough trouble as it was.  
  
Nevertheless he found a certain amount of liking for them. And the four girls were no exception. The soft giggling sound they made contradicted to the heaviness of the situation and yet the pleasure and pride in their victory today were like balms to his aching muscles.   
  
He would never have considered that such girly tittering would somehow ease the distress of his day. The women of his baka deshi seemed were all a bit more on the violent and noisy side. He shook his head. Well, at least it made perfect sense to him. Kenshin had always attracted the weirdest girls.   
  
He sighed and silently cursed his baka deshi. This was his entire fault. Hiko Seijouru The Great was fast becoming a softie. He snorted in disgust. He gave the four girls one last look then returned to his earlier musings. He flexed his arms and almost winced at the dull throbbing he felt.  
  
Old age was slowly creeping in to his body. It was a fight he would eventually lose. Everyone succumbs to it. He was no different from them, of course, his ego may be too big for Japan, but still he knew the distinction between reality and foolishness. And he accepted that, contrary to what he would always say and do.   
  
He stared up again at the sky and let the cold air slightly ruffle his glorious hair. He wasn't worried, he knew he still looked damned gorgeous. The wind may blow for all he care, he was still Hiko Seijurou 13th, most possibly the best looking master of the Hiten Mitsurugi.  
  
He had sensed her approach and was slightly annoyed that she dare disturbed him. But he was not surprised. The girl from Tokyo had spunk and he liked that. "What do you want?" He asked gruffly, not bothering to look at her. He felt her annoyance at his rudeness and that amused him. He heard her take a deep breath.  
  
"I brought you some tea Hiko-sama." The girl replied somewhat shyly but her voice was calm and sure.  
  
He slowly turned and stared at her for a moment and she stared back at him smiling sweetly, her blue eyes clear. He was tempted to ask if she was the one who had prepared the drink. He knew a bad cook once he saw one. And this girl, he could tell, was trouble especially if left alone at the kitchen. A flaw, but one that didn't bother him at all. Cook or not, she sure knew how to kick some ass and he liked that too.  
  
"I don't drink tea, only sake." He answered not taking his eyes off her.  
  
"Oh." She said wrinkling her nose, mildly confused and a little put off by his bluntness. "Gomen Hiko-sama, but we don't have any sake right now." She apologized, clumsily bowing her head.  
  
Hiko waved his hand dismissively. "Then low class tea would do. But you should know, I am used to the grandest of things, although I don't have any need or interest in them." He accepted the glass of tea offered to him and turned his head away. She was still standing behind him, annoyed and waiting for at least a simple nod of thanks. He refused to do so and continued to ignore her. When he heard her sharp intake of breath he could feel the corners of his mouth slightly tuning up into a ghost of a smile.  
  
"Well thank you." He heard the girl mutter sarcastically.  
  
"So you're the one they call Kamiya." He said not unkindly, as if this was the first time he had met her. Their short talk at the cabin wasn't exactly the best of circumstances for a relaxed conversation. He had questioned her then, not entirely interested in her name nor her background. But he knew well enough to know that she was the type of woman his master had warn him about. Cute, but with a strength of steel that would not show in the surface.   
  
He looked at her from head to toe; a little short, but weren't almost all Japanese women? Pretty but not as exquisite as the others he had met, once so long ago. He liked her hair though. Long midnight blue tresses secured in a green bow. He liked it that she made it a point to keep her hairstyle unadorned. He also liked simplicity. He found himself staring at her blues eyes again.   
  
He had made almost the same assessment the first time he had talked to her. She had easy confidence and she clearly wasn't intimidated by him. He had sensed her nervousness, but not fear. If it wasn't for his baka deshi asking him for all those stupid favors, he would have invited the girl over for dinner and be able to talk more with her. It would have been another good way to humiliate his deshi, another chance to tell one of his deshi's' most embarrassing moments. Perhaps he could throw in some of the inside jokes he used to tell Kenshin that confused the kid a lot, especially about the ways of the women.   
  
The idea sounded so tempting. Maybe I could take some time off from my musings and have the much-anticipated conversation, he thought. He was sure that his deshi would have a hissy fit if he ever found out. It was clear to Hiko that Kenshin valued the girl and what she thought of him. But what do girls know anyway? She would probably ask him about how she could squirm her way inside his deshi's heart. She would have no problem there. She already did that. But still, with the way his deshi was pushing her away, he could understand why she seemed confused and irritated.  
  
He was glad though that the girl stayed in Kyoto and had not run off to her home. He was sure he heard her promise Kenshin that she'll be back in Tokyo as soon as she can just to quit Kenshin from all his whining. Deceptive, he liked that too. He figured that his deshi deserved it. The fact that she dared disobeyed his baka deshi proved that she was just as dauntless and not to mention stubborn and it impressed him on some level.   
  
"Hai. Kamiya Kaoru, that's me." He heard the girl reply, breaking his train of thoughts. Again he noticed how she said it without a hint of shyness and the undeniable pride in her voice. She smiled at him.  
  
He stared blankly at her. He was tempted to actually shoo her away but she seemed adamant to talk to him. Hiko figured right then and there that she was smitten by his charm. Of course. Now that she had seen the "real" man, compared to his deshi, well, lets just say that Kenshin would have to flex his muscles more. His great masculinity and fighting skills have clearly impressed her so and he told her that, adding "I don't sign autographs anymore."   
  
She was a little pissed at his off hand comment and surprised him when she walked to face him hands on her hips, her blues eyes blazing. "Excuse me! I think you got the wrong girl! Okon and Omasu are the ones you're talking about." She was a little petulant now.  
  
And he liked her that way. It brings out the blue of her eyes and the color in her cheeks. She was feisty: a trouble for his baka deshi. He liked her even more now. He raised his eyebrows, "You're not one of my many adorning fans?"  
  
"No. Why should I be?" She stared at him with a silent challenge in her eyes and then as if suddenly realizing that what she had said and more importantly to whom, all color vanished from her face and her eyes grew wide with horror and then recovering slightly, her reaction was toned down to surprise. Hiko could swear that he saw a brief flash of complacent satisfied smile cross her face. All of this in just a fraction of a second.   
  
He had to grin at her reaction. Exactly what he was expecting. "You act on your instincts little girl." He commented insipidly.  
  
"Mou! I'm not a little girl!" She rebuked him, again her eyes flashing dangerously.  
  
He was still holding the cup of tea in his hand, letting its surface warm his slightly bruised palms and fingers. "Well, you're still little to me but you're probably right with the girl part." He thought of women he had met. Only few had her spirit, but they always proved to be either major headaches or big volatile trouble makers, or worse a combination of the two. Both he liked, but only at certain amount of time. "And anyway, we'll let my baka deshi decide on that. And knowing him, he probably doesn't even know the difference anyway." He added just to tease her more.   
  
Kaoru pouted at that, choosing to ignore the joke. It was best that she left Hiko while he was on this bad of a mood. She crossed her arms across her chest, gave him one last disapproving look and then turned to head to where her friends were chatting.  
  
He looked down at the tea in his hand. "If my baka deshi was here, I'd ask him to buy me some sake, of course he's out there somewhere probably getting kicked around." he announced turning to watch Kaoru walk away. He really didn't know why he had made such a statement, fully knowing that the girl could and probably would retaliate. He figured he might... want her company. And there was probably no harm in teasing the girl more. He'd most likely enjoy it. Besides he was certain that on some level, she did adore him. After all, doesn't everyone?  
  
Kaoru stopped in mid-stride. She turned to look at Hiko evenly, her blue eyes meeting his. "You shouldn't call him that." She admonished him.  
  
Hiko raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me what I should and shouldn't do?" He said a little sternly, just for added effect. He paused and tried to at least give her a compliment. "You have a lot of nerves young lady." Was all he could come up with. He smiled at the satisfied glint in her blue eyes. She obviously liked the term "lady" better than "girl" and Hiko thought it suited her just fine, though he wouldn't tell her that.  
  
"Well he's a lot more sensitive you know." Kaoru argued hugging the tray to her chest.  
  
Hiko couldn't help but snort at that. "Sensitive? That's an understatement. He was such a cry-baby he kept me awake most the time sobbing every time he had nightmares. I had to kick him out of the house every night."   
  
She seemed slightly disturbed at his small story. Girls were known to be sympathetic, even to the worst kind of men. But she didn't interrupt so he continued, "If you only knew what a wimp my baka-deshi was when he was younger." Hiko told her slightly shaking his head. He brought the glass of tea to his lips and mustered enough courage to swallow the liquid.  
  
It had no taste. He couldn't decide which was worst, finding out that the tea was actually poisonous or... well, he couldn't think of something to beat a poisonous tea. Strangely he saw, rather than felt the liquid going down his throat and then upon reaching his stomach, his intestines were immediately turned into a big pile of goo. Certainly not the most picture perfect image his mind had made. It made him feel a little... not at all sick, just well...weird. And he hadn't felt anywhere near 'weird' in the past twenty years or so.   
  
"Water from my stream would taste better than this." He said a little scornfully. He was half expecting Kaoru would either burst out crying or throw the tray at him. He was surprised as hell when she smiled at him instead.  
  
"You liked my tea didn't you?" She asked him, sounding sweet and pleased with herself.  
  
He stared at her blankly. "What?" He asked wondering if the girl had actually drank the tea and was in a state of denial.   
  
"I know what you're trying to do Hiko-sama." Kaoru explained.  
  
He found himself staring blankly at her again. He watched as she motioned at the empty space beside him and he could only nod wordlessly, allowing her to sit beside him. He smelled something familiar but the scent eluded him. It was probably some sort of flower blossoming somewhere on the ground. Nevertheless, he found that he liked the scent. Sweet but not overly so. He stared back at the gleaming blue eyes and raised one perfect eye brow.  
  
"You're trying to be mean, but I actually think you like me." Her blue eyes shone and it briefly reminded him of the blue sky during summers when he was just a gorgeous young boy.  
  
He blinked at her and then roared in laughter.  
  
"What?" She asked him, sounding both annoyed and insulted that he'd take her words so lightly and even dare laugh at her.  
  
"Either you're crazy or you're the most..." He was about to say 'charming.' Because it was the only word he thought that could perfectly describe her, but he stopped himself short. "It doesn't matter if I like you or not. You approached me and so that would mean two things. One, you're secretly infatuated with me - understandable enough. Two, you want to know things about my baka deshi, of which I'm already telling you, I have no interest or intention to do so."  
  
"Hiko-sama, you're trying to change the subject." She told him, her tone lightly scolding.  
  
She was teasing him and he was a little miffed at himself for letting her. "I don't like you." he said flat-out.  
  
The smile she returned at him was even brighter than the first. And he suddenly realized what his baka-desi saw in her.   
  
"Then why are you still talking to me?" The girl asked him seriously this time.  
  
It amused him how easily she can change her emotions and why she was actually making a good point. He let a brief smile pass his lips, "Because you like me and I'm just trying to be polite." He was half lying actually. He never made it a point to be polite to people who adored him, who in his opinion were too many to be actually counted and was a waste his precious time.   
  
"Is that so?" She said giggling softly, looking at him and then at the ground obviously trying to hide the blush that crept in her cheeks.  
  
Hiko frowned. "You don't even know me. Or what I had been."  
  
"Oh, it doesn't matter what you used to be Hiko-sama. I think you're a good man. You helped us today didn't you? That's enough of a reason"   
  
"I've killed people." He told her, waiting for her judgement, waiting for the look of pity, or fear or revulsion that he'd seen from people who found out he once was a cold blooded killer.   
  
"See, there's that word again. Killed. Past tense. You used to kill but not anymore. You're a good man, Hiko-sama." She repeated and then she tilted her head, lost in her thought. She turned to look at him and added, " I think you're just like Kenshin." Her bright eyes were shone like blue flames. She sounded so sure of her opinion, and it wasn't really her fault if Hiko didn't believe that it didn't matter to her what he had been. He knew that these things matter. They mattered a lot.  
  
"I'm nothing like my baka deshi." He said frowning at her. His outburst surprised her but not so much as frightened her. His ferocity as a warrior was once legendary, but he had chosen early retirement, he didn't know whether to be thankful or insulted that the Kamiya girl didn't really knew how dangerous he was. He noticed how her blue eyes flashed again at the insult directed towards Kenshin and he deftly ignored it. Hiko crossed his arms and stared blankly ahead. He waited for Kaoru to stand up and let him be. He could feel her watching him. Scrutinizing him, as if he's some sort of puzzle that she wanted to solve.   
  
"Hiko-sama?" Her question was asked tentatively this time and her voiced had dropped lower. For a moment he missed the cheerfulness in her voice. When he looked at her he was surprised at the hint of concern in her eyes. He frowned.   
  
"You're too innocent and trusting." It came out more of lecture than an observation. Women like her who always had open hearts are easily manipulated. Her eyes were both her strength and weakness. Malicious people could always see right through them. He didn't want that to happen to her. In fact he didn't want anything remotely bad happening to her. The protectiveness he felt towards her surprised him.   
  
Was this the reason his baka deshi came back to him? More than just to learn the technique he had abandoned years ago but to live for and protect this girl?  
  
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked him.  
  
He shook his head. "It's a weakness." He said and then added, "I am not here to judge you whether you should pursue your affection for my baka deshi or not."   
  
"I'm not..." Kaoru started indignantly but he cut her off.   
  
"Then travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto and barging in someone else's cabin is just some weird twisted hobby of yours?" He teased her.  
  
And made a rather damn good point too.  
  
Kaoru pouted. "No. And hadn't I told you not to call Kenshin...."  
  
He cut her off once again and enjoyed the soft growl that escaped her lips. "I'll call him whatever I please." He replied sounding stubborn. "And," he stressed, "you're also changing the subject."  
  
Kaoru frowned at him and then shaking her head, told him, "You're a very weird man Hiko-sama."  
  
Her honesty amazed him. Throughout his prestigious career as a respected master swordsman no one had ever dared call him peculiar, much less used the term weird. He looked at her again. This time letting out his own feral growl.  
  
"Well you are." Kaoru said defensively. "You're mean to people you care for. Calling them names. How immature." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I bet if you'd be kinder you wouldn't be living alone in that cabin of yours and drowning yourself with sake."  
  
"I happen to like living alone. And sake is my only true passion, well next to making exquisite pottery, of course." Hiko marveled at the though that this was probably one of the rare moments he was actually enjoying being scolded by a mere 17 year old girl.   
  
"How about women?"  
  
Hiko raised an eye brow. "Do you really want to hear all about the women that I..."  
  
"Ugh, not exactly Hiko-sama." Kaoru interrupted him before he can even say something.   
  
She was blushing and Hiko enjoyed her squirm even for just a while. They lapsed into silence and then she spoke up just when he was sure that she had fallen asleep.  
  
"Do you think Kenshin could defeat Shishio?"  
  
"What do you think?" He returned the question back at her.  
  
Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I asked you first!" She complained.   
  
Hiko crossed his arms and gave her a stern look. "I want to hear your answer first."  
  
"I know Kenshin will win and we'd go home to Tokyo together, just as he had promised." She answered immediately, without a pause.  
  
She was sure of it. Not hoping for it. Not wishing for it. But as sure as she was of her own name. Hiko smiled at her for the first time. "I think he'd lose. I think right now, he's just about ready to give up and die." He said seriously.  
  
"What?" He heard her screech.  
  
"Are you deaf little girl?" He asked her. "I said, I am most certain that he'd lose. He has no concentration, he is but a mere shadow of the once legendary Battousai, he had become weaker, slower even and despite everything, he still could not control the demons rding in his back. He will fail."   
  
"You don't mean that!" Kaoru said, her voice raising.  
  
"Oh, but I do. But mostly, he'd lose because he's a baka!" And although he clearly saw the flick of her wrist as she turned the tray and lift it to hit his head, he let her. He figured since he had just been smitten by this violent girl then a good whacking in his head would do him good. He might as well let her hit him. Just this once though.   
  
The tray hit him exactly on the right spot he had anticipated. It didn't even hurt. Ok, that was a lie. It did hurt. But only for a fraction of a second that he barely felt it. He didn't even flinch and he knew that the impact had hurt the girl more.   
  
Not getting the reaction Kaoru was expecting she pouted again. "Mou!"  
  
Hiko was about to laugh but he stopped himself. He bent towards her so that they were face to face. "What do you see in my baka-deshi anyway?"  
  
"Well he's..." He smiled easily at her almost admittance and she caught the look on his eyes. She quickly retracted her statemnt. "I mean I do not...I..."  
  
Hiko interrupted her. "For starters, he looks more like a girl to me. Had he been a girl, he'd be actually more interesting looking than you."  
  
Kaoru's mouth hang open and she snapped it shut. He could see that she wasn't bothered by the comparison. "He's not! He may be a liitle...well, effeminate sometimes..."  
  
"Effeminate? You mean girly! You're too kind." He said shaking his head. "Tell me, does he still like to do women stuff?" He asked him knowing well what the answer would be.  
  
"Why yes. He cooks our meal and takes care of my little sisters. And I hardly think that laundry and cooking are 'women stuff' Hiko-sama"   
  
"You seem rather pleased with your self that you've made a maid out of the once feared assassin. I expect he's all putty in your hands. My baka deshi never did listened to anything that I said. I told him women were dangerous. And then he returns to my cabin dumping half of his troubles on me. Including you."  
  
"It's for a good cause! He is doing it to save Japan and everyone else!" Kaoru told him turning on her charm - her anger.  
  
Hiko smiled benignly. "Defeating Shishio? I could have done it myself. But this, is his battle. It's his problem. Not mine. And as for you, well I guess my baka deshi had done worse."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaoru asked quirking up with the mere mention of Kenshin and other girls.  
  
"Let me tell you what a complete idiot my baka deshi is with women. I am honestly surprised that you'd be," he paused considering the words, "interested in him." He smiled at the sudden interest the girl showed. "My baka deshi had always been painfully shy, unlike me of course."  
  
"The lady's man I would presume." Kaoru said teasing him.   
  
He couldn't agree more. "A charmer." He added with a satisfied smile. But he could tell she wasn't as impressed.   
  
"So why do you live alone if you're such an expert in women?" She asked forgetting about Kenshin and his other brushes with young women. Not that they were interesting. Hiko could remember one instant when Kenshin was just 13 years old and was completely blown away upon seeing this gorgeous girl with ivory skin and eyes so dark they seemed black. Hiko knew the girl, of course. But when he had pushed Kenshin to approach the girl, the poor kid stuttered and stammered like a crazed lunatic. Hiko had to drag him back to the cabin and over a jug of sake, taught him lesson number one with girls: "If you're nervous enough and can't even remember you're own name, shut-up. Just go. Walk away. Save yourself the humiliation." His baka deshi took the advise way *way* too seriously.   
  
"If you have to think of an excuse that hard, I bet you had more trouble with women than Kenshin does." Kaoru teased him again.   
  
He was pulled away from the almost vivid memory. He decided not to even acknowldege that comment. The girl had some disturbing intuitions, he was half convinced that she was some sort of a mind reader. He was supposed to make her squirm with his question, not the other way around.   
  
He didn't bother to finish off his tea, he pointed at some unseen thing and when the girl turned to look at the object that suddenly caught his attention, he threw not only the content but the cup as well. It was safer that way. He figured he was lucky for being alive, one more swallow of that concoction and he was afraid he'll pass out, not of the taste but the thoughts of what it was doing to his insides.  
  
When the girl turned to stare at him, he knew that she got the trick. He gave him a smirk that melted hearts and knees all over the whole of Japan. She hardly noticed it.   
  
"You're some sort of a master! You call your student nasty names and don't trust his capabilities and then you insult his friends!"  
  
"Listen to yourself! I think I heard that very same thing from the young kid who has chicken hair!" Hiko exclaimed. "As for not trusting my baka deshi, you should know that it wouldn't matter to him what I think or what I say, what would matter to him is what you believe. If you believe that he'd win, then he most probably will."   
  
Kaoru was stunned. She let out a small gasp, Hiko's words ringing in her ear. "If I believe....he would..."  
  
"Your faith in him is enough. It what makes him want to live. You should see that. If you don't, then you're not the girl I thought you are. And if you let his, 'I-don't-deserve-you' crap get to you, then you disappoint me." Hiko said holding her gaze.   
  
"I don't...I would never...I..." Kaoru paused. She took in a deep breath. She regarded Hiko and smiled. "Thanks. I needed that. I mean, not that I'm giving up on him or anything but sometimes, well he's just..."  
  
"He's just what I call him, he's a baka. Learn to live with it. Stubborn as hell, probably not so much like you, but he has his own moments."  
  
"Stubborn?! I am not..." She stopped mid sentence as Hiko raised his eye brows at her, obviously teasing her.   
  
"I told you what you want to hear. Now tell me what I want to hear from you."  
  
"Ok. What is it?"  
  
Hiko smiled smugly. This is the part were I make you squirm, he thought. "Are you one of my fervid fans now?" He asked his tone light and almost, almost playful. Surprising even himself, but what the hell, Hiko Seijorou was also allowed to have his few moments too.  
  
"Truth?"  
  
Hiko nodded.   
  
"I used to think you were a narcissistic ego driven, self centered man. Now I know you better." Kaoru said nodding slightly, as if making a mental conclusion. "You're ok, a little well, weird...you know, hiding from that rude 'I-don't-care' facade, but you're ok Hiko-sama. So yeah, I guess I can be one of your fans." Kaoru smiled.  
  
Hiko felt as though he had been kicked on the gut. Ego driven? Self centered? Those words shouldn't be in the same sentence with his name! But well, maybe even young girls know a thing or two. It was obvious that this one does. He was about to give her a scolding of a third degree when the world had suddenly turned upside down...  
  
He was so shocked at his failing vision of stars staring up at him from the ground before he realized that he was knocked over. Not by some offensive secret weapon, or an assassin behind him but by the blasted tea that he had just drank.  
  
The girl came into his vision and was frantically asking him if he was ok.   
  
"Do I look ok to you?" He snapped. His head was swirming with images he couldn't name. His eyes rolled and he briefly let the dizzying sensation wash over him and he closed his eyes.  
  
"Hiko-sama! Wake-up! Hiko-sama!"   
  
He could feel the tight squirming and churning of his stomach and then waves and waves of dizziness swept over him. He forced his eyes open and saw a mad Kenshin dancing before him, his bright gi making him feel doubly sick. Worse, his baka deshi was holding a glass of tea in his hand, offering it to him saying, 'My koiishi made this. Drink up shishou! Drink up!.'  
  
He gritted his teeth and then cursed his baka deshi for all eternity. The thought that his baka deshi would be living all his remaining pathetic life with Kaoru brought a smile to his face before he passed out. He fervently hoped that every time Kenshin would drink tea made by his blue-eyed wife, he'd go through the very same thing. With that his last thought, he shunned himself from the outside world. Blackness. And then, finally, peace.  
  
"Oh shoot!" Kaoru muttered, staring blankly at the still form of Hiko. The rise and fall of his chest made him look like he was just sleeping. She looked around to see if anyone was watching. Luckily, everyone was doing their own thing and no one had noticed that she had, um, well, upset Hiko-sama's stomach. Hopefully, that was all that she had done. She knelt down and pressed her ear on his chest and felt raw relief wash through her when she heard the loud, strong and steady beating of Hiko's heart. A moment later, she heard him snore. "Oh, thank Kami, oh thank Kami," she mumbled over and over again trying to calm her heart.   
  
She heard someone approach from behind her. She stiffened and prayed it wasn't Okon and Omasu.   
  
There was a sharp intake of breath and then: "You killed him!"   
  
The accusation rang so loudly in Kaoru's ears. She whirled around and saw Yahiko, staring at her then to Hiko and then back to her with wide laughing eyes. "What?! I didn't! I just gave... I mean... we were just talking and then all of a sudden... he IS not *DEAD*!, He's just..." Kaoru grimaced.   
  
Yahiko ignored Kaoru and walked around Hiko. "Well, at least, I think you tried to kill him..." The boy accused, a wide smile plastered on his face.   
  
"No I didn't! He fell asleep you moron!" She snapped.   
  
"Uh-huh" Yahiko said nodding thougtfully.   
  
"Help me." Kaoru ordered standing up and taking one of Hiko's massive arm, trying to sit him up..  
  
"Wait till Kenshin hears about this." Yahiko said gleefully, helping Kaoru sit Hiko up against the hard wood he was sitting on a couple moments ago. Yahiko snickered and looked at Kaoru. "Kenshin, guess what, Kaoru tried to kill your master..." Yahiko paused and then smiled wider, "Wait 'till everyone hears about this! Kaoru tried to kill Kenshin's shishou! What a classic!" He shook his head, not quite believing that Hiko had been knocked out cold. "Wait 'till Sano hears about this!" He exclaimed again. "Wait 'till Saitou hears about this!" Names continued popping into his head. "Oh, man, oh man, Kaoru, you're in big trouble..."  
  
"I told you! I didn't kill him! I didn't even tried!" Kaoru complained in exasperation.   
  
"Ha!" Yahiko said shaking his head, "What were you thinking?"   
  
"Nothing!" Kaoru hissed.  
  
Yahiko snickered at the amount of frustration present in Kaoru's voice. "What did you do to him Kaoru?" He asked, teasing her a bit more he added, "he looks a little pale to me. And to think he had come here upon Kenshin's request and this is how you repay him!" He howled with laughter and then abruptly stopped as Kaoru grabbed him by the gi.  
  
"Look here Yahiko-CHAN, I. Did. Nothing! Ok? I just..." She paused and looked at Hiko. "Is he really that pale?" She asked worriedly. Oh, great. All she wanted was to make a good impression and now this? How would Kenshin react. She shook her head as he stared at Hiko's face. "He looks fine to me." She muttered.  
  
"Yeah, well, he looks half dead to me! You better fess up fast Kaoru, or else I'm calling Okon and Omasu." He declared. Kaoru tightened her grip on his gi. He choked. "Or not."   
  
"I just gave him the tea I made ok?!" Kaoru said letting go of him.   
  
Yahiko watched as Kaoru frowned. "Well, that explains it!" He said triumphantly, as though solving the greatest puzzle in history. Kaoru turned at him. "You poisoned him." He said gravely.  
  
"For the last time! I did not poison him!" Kaoru growled.   
  
Yahiko held up his hand. "Ok, ok. Gessh, Busu, get a grip. So you didn't poison him, at least not knowingly," he muttered lightly, careful not to let Kaoru hear him.   
  
They stared at the still form of Hiko for a while and listened as he snored. Yahiko grimaced, "I can't believe Hiko was stupid enough to drink your tea. Everyone had thrown the contents as soon as you handed them the cup."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Yahiko ignored her, fixated at the frowns and groans coming off from Kenshin's fallen master. He thought he could hear the word "baka" or "Me, the great" from Hiko's mumblings. He shook his head. "You've conquered the man Kaoru, but not his ego." Yahiko commented dryly rolling his eyes.  
  
Hiko, in his sleep, couldn't agree more.  
  
  
END  
  
  
Ok, that was just too weird of an ending wasn't it? ::Sigh:: For the record, this is a work of a twisted mind under intense pressure and should not be taken way way too seriously. Any comments and flames can be thrown at me. Reviews are well accepted, criticisms are taken seriously.... but not that seriously. Reviews please! Thanks! 


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